Sugar chains are compounds in which sugars are bonded via glycoside bonding. There are infinite combinations of sugars considering kinds and sequences of sugars constituting the sugar chains. Therefore, there are a great variety of the sugar chains. It is known that sugar chains interact with various biomaterial such as viruses, cells, microorganisms, proteins, etc. Thus, the interactions of the sugar chains with the biomaterials largely influence physiological conditions of living organisms.
For example, it is known that infections of influenza virus, AIDS virus, and hepatitis B virus, which causes severe diseases in infected people, are initiated by interaction of these viruses with sugar chains in cell membranes of human cells. Different viruses interact with different sugar chains. This accounts for differences of virus infections in their infection routs and symptoms that they cause in humans.
For example, as disclosed in Virology, 1997, 227, 493-499, it is understood that isolated influenza virus strain interact with different sugar chains that are different in constituent sugars and sugar sequences. It is known that human-infectious influenza viruses generally interact with N-acetyl neuraminic acid α2,6-galactose (Neu5Ac α2,6 Gal) more strongly than N-acetyl neuraminic acid α2,3-galactose (Neu5Ac α2,3 Gal).
Therefore, comprehensive measurement on interactions of a virus with sugar chains is weighed heavily in developing strategies for prevention and remedy against the infection of the virus.